Sin City (2005)

This journal is not the first place to look if you want reviews of current releases and blockbusters since I probably see about a dozen at the cinema in any one year; I do go to the pictures more often than this but mainly for art-house and repertory.  Most of my viewing is via tv, satellite or DVD.  However there is no denying that some movies (in fact maybe most movies) are best viewed initially at least on the big screen; Sin City falls into this category.

I am not a comic book buff so I am not familiar with the source material for this film, but the multi-talented Robert Rodriguez has undoubtedly remained true to the original and brought it to vibrant life (his co-director -- nominally I assume -- is the graphic comic's writer).  The film is absolutely amazing to look at in stylized black and white highlighted with splashes of colour -- lips, eyes, dresses and blood, although the latter can be white or yellow as well as red. And there is one heck of a lot of blood and violence and sexy women to turn on the presumably largely male audience -- but so what; it is well worth seeing regardless.  A large cast some of whom like Mickey Rourke are nearly unrecognizable under heavy make-up are more than up to the task of holding the viewer's attention during the three somehow interlocked tales.  And it is certainly one way to avoid type-casting for Mr. Frodo to play a mute cannibalistic killer!